Halifax Health Hospital's latest milestone: Robotic-assisted surgery with 3,500 procedures completed using the da Vinci Surgical System from Intuitive

Create: Fri, 10/07/2022 - 00:33
Author: Sera King
Photos for Headline Surfer / Above: A robotic-assisted surgical procedure at Halifax Health Hospital is shown. Below: Kelly Molpus, MD, and Robotic Steering Committee chair at Halifax Health is shown.

By SERA KING / Headline Surfer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Halifax Health announces its latest milestone in robotic-assisted surgery with 3500 procedures completed using the da Vinci® Surgical System from Intuitive.

With the da Vinci Xi, surgeons use the most advanced instrumentation, vision, and features to promote operating room efficiency. This leads to reduced blood loss, smaller scars, lower risk of infection, and less pain during recovery.

“The robotic arm’s movements are more exact than a human hand, and the range of motion is greater allowing it to reach tight spaces,” said Kelly Molpus, MD, and Robotic Steering Committee Chair at Halifax Health. “The camera allows a magnified view of the surgical area that is far superior to the human eye leading to better outcomes for the patient,” Molpus continued.

With over 10 million procedures performed worldwide, da Vinci robotic surgery "has proven to be effective, safe, and beneficial to patients throughout the globe," Molpus said, adding, "There are nearly 70 representative clinical uses for da Vinci® systems spanning specialties including urology, gynecology, general surgery, thoracic and bariatric surgery at Halifax Health."

Josep Malpus, DO, Halifax Health / Headline Surfer“The robotic arm’s movements are more exact than a human hand, and the range of motion is greater allowing it to reach tight spaces,” said Kelly Molpus, MD, and Robotic Steering Committee Chair at Halifax Health. “The camera allows a magnified view of the surgical area that is far superior to the human eye leading to better outcomes for the patient,” Molpus continued.

With over 10 million procedures performed worldwide, da Vinci robotic surgery "has proven to be effective, safe, and beneficial to patients throughout the globe," Molpus said, adding, "There are nearly 70 representative clinical uses for da Vinci® systems spanning specialties including urology, gynecology, general surgery, thoracic and bariatric surgery at Halifax Health."

Halifax Heath Q&A:

QUESTION: What is Robotic Surgery?
ANSWER: Robot-assisted surgery uses specialized technology that enhances the capabilities of your surgeon’s hands. It allows surgeons to perform procedures in tight areas through small incisions. The specialized technology also enables precise movements and enhanced magnification. The technology consists of:
• Surgical arms with tiny instruments with wrists at the tip;
• Special cameras that provide enhanced magnified 3D views of the surgical area.
 
QUESTION: What happens during robotic surgery? 
ANSWER: First, your surgeon makes one or more small incisions. Through these incisions, your surgeon places ports (thin tubes). The robot is attached to these ports and instruments are then placed through them. A long thin camera (endoscope) is placed through one of the ports. The camera provides high-definition images in 3D during the surgery. Surgical instruments are placed through the other ports, which allows the surgeon to do the operation. Your surgeon controls the robotic arm while sitting at a console a few feet away from you. An assistant stays next to you to help the surgeon by changing the instruments when needed.
 
QUESTION: What are the advantages of robotic surgery?
ANSWER: One of the main advantages is that it enables surgery through smaller incisions. Other advantages of robotic surgery include:
• Greater precision: The robotic arm’s movements are more exact than a human hand. And their range of motion is greater. The arms rotate instruments in tight spaces in ways that aren’t otherwise possible.
• Better visualization: A sophisticated camera provides magnified, high-definition views of the surgical area. It also has 3D capabilities for imaging that are superior to the naked eye Ability to do surgery inside the body: The small instruments allow surgeons to perform steps of the operation inside your body when traditionally, they would have had to make a much larger incision to do that part of the procedure outside of your body
 
QUESTION: What are the benefits of robotic surgery?
ANSWER: With robot-assisted surgery, you may experience:
• Less pain during recovery;
• Lower risk of infection;
• Reduced blood loss;
• Shorter hospital stays;
• Smaller scars.

Multimedia:

YouTube download / Halifax Health video /  Da Vinci Robotic System at Halifax Health is explained in layman's terms by Joseph R. Lewis, DO.
Sera King bio / Headline SurferAbout the Byline Writer: Sera King is associate publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet in Lake Mary, FL serving greater Orlando, Sanford, and Daytona Beach via HeadlineSurfer.com since 2008. She's also a bylined writer (business, community & sports features), a videographer, and a cartoonist for the media outlet. King received her bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the Metro Orlando Campus of Ana G. Mendez University in 2008. Headline Surfer is published by Henry Frederick, Central Florida's award-winning journalist.